Jan. 28, 2012

Final Stats

• Watch the Replay on ESPN3

Stony Brook, N.Y. - Senior Bryan Dougher (Scotch Plains, N.J.) scored 20 points and hit a dagger three-pointer with 2:29 remaining in the game to turn a one-possession game to two as the Stony Brook men's basketball team defeated Boston University, 66-57, Friday night at a raucous, sold-out Pritchard Gymnasium as part of RED-OUT BU night.

The Seawolves have now won 10 of their last 11 games and have regained sole possession of first place in America East with an 8-1 record, 13-7 overall. Stony Brook has also won 11 consecutive home games, one shy of matching the program's Div. I record of 12. The Terriers had their seven-game winning streak snapped and fall to 11-12 overall, 7-2 in America East.

Dougher was Stony Brook's lone player in double-digit scoring, shooting 5-for-9 from the field and 7-for-8 from the free throw line to earn America East Player of the Game honors. BU's Darryl Partin scored 21 points to lead BU and also earn America East Player of the Game honors.

The Seawolves shot 44.7 percent from the field and did a lot of damage from the free throw line, making 19 of 28 attempts. BU shot 46.5 percent and nailed 10 three-pointers, but was just 7-for-17 from the charity stripe.

"What a great game; a great college basketball environment tonight," head coach Steve Pikiell said. "I want to thank all the fans, the students, everyone for coming. I thought we played a great game. We outrebounded them and made plays when we needed to. They made a bunch of threes but in the end we held another team under 60 points."

In a battle between the America East's top two scoring defenses (conference games only), the first half was an offensive slugfest that saw both teams shoot over 50 percent. The Terriers were perfect from behind the arc in the game's first six minutes, going 5-for-5, including two by Partin as BU built a 17-9 lead in the early going.

The Seawolves quickly bounced back with a 14-6 run that included a big three-pointer by Dougher at 7:29 that put the Seawolves back on top, 24-23. BU regained the lead on the next possession after a Matt Griffin bucket, but then sophomore Dave Coley (Brooklyn, N.Y.) came right back with a jumper on the fastbreak, and the Seawolves then expanded their lead to seven, 37-30, before going into halftime leading 37-33.

In the second half, Dougher scored eight points in the first 5:45, including a crazy fadeaway jumper with a defender in his face that helped put the Seawolves on top 47-34, their largest lead of the game.

However, BU would not go away as the Terriers put the brakes on Stony Brook's offense. BU went on a 17-0 run as Partin drove down the baseline at 8:56 to make a layup and put BU back on top, 48-47. Travis Robinson then hit a three-pointer at 6:04 to make it a four-point game, 51-47.

Stony Brook went 10:18 without a field goal, but was aided by poor Terrier free throw shooting. During Stony Brook's field goal drought, BU went to the free throw line 11 times, but made only five of those attempts.

The Seawolves found their groove again, thanks to Coley, who made a nice fake move down the baseline and passed to a wide-open senior Al Rapier (Chicago, Ill.), who had a one-handed slam dunk to end the drought. Coley then hit a big jumper on a drive to the basket that tied the game at 54-54 with 3:31 to play.

It was 55-54 Seawolves when Dougher sent the crowd into a frenzy with a three-pointer in the corner off a pass from Rapier with 2:29 to go, giving the Seawolves an important two-possession lead, 58-54.

Irving connected on a three-pointer with 1:37 left to make it 60-57, but the Terriers went dry from there, turning the ball over on their next two possessions while the Seawolves hit their free throws to pull away.

In addition to Dougher's 20, senior Dallis Joyner (Norfolk, Va.) and junior Tommy Brenton (Columbia, Md.) each had nine points. Brenton added eight rebounds and four steals.

Stony Brook will conclude its three-game homestand Wednesday against Binghamton at Pritchard Gymnasium at 7 p.m. The game will be televised on Optimum Local Channel 118 in Nassau and Suffolk County.